Courting The Enemy
by IntensityWire
Summary: Our story begins at the start of the 3rd book, Fire. Zuko has not yet joined the Gaang and is still conflicted about what is right. He finds himself further troubled when the name of his soulmate finally appears above his heart. That single word changed everything.
1. Unforeseen Circumstances

Capital City of the Fire Nation, The Palace

Zuko POV

On the eve of his eighteenth birthday the crown prince of the Fire Nation lay thrashing in his bed chambers. A cold burn seared his skin like tiny needles. The sharp sensation caused Zuko to sit upright with a pained gasp, one hand flying to touch the skin of his chest. Usually the estimated time for the mark to show up is around your seventeenth birthday. Or well for most people at least part of or half of the name would slowly show against your skin. When the time was right you'd get the full name in a quick and rather painful flash. As quick as the pain began it was over. Left there was a name, his soulmate. It stood out in black against his red agitated flesh even in the darkness of his room. Clenching a hand into a fist he lit a simple flame to gaze upon what or rather who was to be his soulmate. Shock floored him at the six letters that were oh so painfully familiar. Katara.

-

Some Weeks Later

Fire Navy Ship, Serpents Pass

Katara POV

It seemed like everything was over now, Ba Sing Se had fallen and Aang had very nearly died. She still couldn't believe that, Aang was dead for a few minutes before she brought him back with the spirit water. She had nearly lost her best friend and everything felt like it was all her fault. She was the one that stupidly trusted Zuko, and boy did that go well, didn't it? Katara's thoughts of worry and self loathing were interrupted by footsteps approaching the door. She could tell the visitor was uneasy and that simple moment of hesitation before a knock resounded told her all she needed to know about who was outside. "Go away Dad." she muttered, rolling over onto her side indignantly.

"Katara please if you won't come out for me, then come out for your friends. They want to wish you a happy birthday." Hakoda's voice floated past the door to Katara who rolled her eyes. Throwing herself off the bed with a huff she moved to grab her wrist bands, tugging them on. The bands would cover her shameful secret, the name of the enemy forever imprinted upon her skin.

"Alright. For my friends." Katara muttered and stalked past her father, going upstairs to her friends. Once above deck she was greeted by the smiling faces of Aang, Sokka, Suki, Toph, Pipsqueak, The Duke, Longshot, Smellerbee, and a few of the Swamp People. Her closest and most important friends. The first to approach her was Sokka and Suki who gave her a lovely gift as a couple. A bladed fan, the blade constructed by Sokka and the fan hand made by Suki. The next few gifts were simple things, some hair ties, a new scroll about blood bending, etc, etc. The last to approach her was of course Aang. The young Avatar seemed nervous and Katara knew why. For the last few days he had done nothing but constantly remind her of how he was so sure he was her Soulmate. He absolutely couldn't wait to prove it too. This is the part she was regretting, for within the small gift box was an ornate betrothal necklace. She didn't want to break Aang's heart but her soul just wouldn't let her accept the gift no matter how much she wanted to.

Taking a breath she softly set the box aside and took Aang's hands in hers. The smile was already slipping from the Avatar's face. "Aang I want to accept this I really do but.-"

He cut her off from there, his head turned to the side and eyes downcast. "I'm not your Soulmate. That's why you wore your wrist bands today, to hide it from me." His voice was despondent and barely reached her ears. "Well then..who is it? Is it Jet?! I bet it's Jet!" Aang suddenly looked furious and glared at her covered wrists.

Katara gave a snort and gently squeezed Aang's hands. "Aang, Jet is dead. So no, it's most definitely not Jet." Shaking her head she sighed a bit, gazing at her covered wrists, "As for who it is..that's my business. I'm sorry." Releasing his hands the waterbender stepped away, leaving Aang to sulk as he pleased. She felt terrible for making him so sad but it was unavoidable in situations like these. Gathering her remaining gifts she headed back to her room below deck.

Once back within the safety of her room she dropped the items on her bed, a scowl pursing her lips. "Happy Birthday to me.." The words were heavy with sarcasm, today was the very opposite of a 'happy' Birthday.

-

The Royal Palace, Dining Room

Zuko POV

"Come on Zuzu, it's only fair that you show me. You've seen mine." Azula was currently pouting in the Crown Prince's face, tugging at the hem of his dressing gown.

Shoving her hands away Zuko glared fiercely at his young sister, his jaw clenched. "Stop it Azula." The firebender now knew that the name printed across Azula's shoulder, Wang Fire, was just some crap ink job. It wasn't real and seeing as how Azula was seventeen and didn't even have a piece of her mark he understood why. Azula was not destined to have a soulmate and if the name wasn't showing signs of being there now, it never would. This seldom happened to very few and in lore they said the ones with the coldest hearts were unworthy of love.

In Zuko's opinion, Azula was most definitely undeserving and incapable of any kind of love. "Now if you'll excuse me. . ." Pushing away from the table he stalked away and disappeared around the corner. "I don't even feel sorry for you." Muttering to himself he wandered down to the gardens, the only place where he felt any measure of ease. His troubled mind was always swarming with confusion and self doubt. These days the Prince didn't even know who he was, much less what to do about the name he now bore. Katara, the waterbender, what the hell was he going to do..

-

AUTHORS NOTES

Welcome to another Collaboration between Sasunarulover16 and Killeh1.  
This chapter was written by Killeh1! We do sincerely hope you enjoy our story.  
For those fans of Phantoms Fall, we are continuing it, so fear not!


	2. Flirting with Disaster

_Don't hate me I know it's been a while but not nearly as long as one of my other stories I just posted the chapter for and one of the others I haven't even finished the next chapter for so eh really I think I did good with the time between the chapters on this one, it also helps that my co-author was on my ass to get this typed this week or she would kill me in my sleep which is terrifying because though she is small she is mighty. Lol love you guys enjoy the chapter._

CH2

Zuko paced his room his thoughts beating against each other like a hive of angry wasps and no matter how he looked at it his soul mate was allied with his enemy. This was a huge thing, Katara was helping the avatar to take his father down and he as destined to be with her. He groaned and pulled angrily at his hair and fell back against his bed and curled up before letting out a long breath. He sat up and moved his night shirt to the side and looked at the dark name that was branded across the center of his chest in dark black.

"Awe what's the matter zuzu, don't like who you're stuck with, you know if you tell me who it is I can have them brought to you without father learning of her presence…. unless it's a boy? Hahahaha oh my god it is isn't it? Wow if dad found out!" Azula said from his doorway.

he glared at her yanking his shirt back over his mark to shield it from his psychotic sister.

"What do you want Azula?" He asked yanking his robe over his shoulders harshly and tying it shut as an extra barrier form her prying eyes.

"Oh I'm bored and thought I would come to annoy my favorite brother. Why else would I come in here when your home? Normally I only come in her to snoop around anyway not that you ever noticed." She scoffed walking toward his desk and fiddling with the paint brushes and flicking through the documents piled up on the corner of the desk looking around a bored expression on her face.

"Actually I came because father wants to see you, something about your wedding or something." She said waving dismissively.

He glared and ran out of the room and made his way to the throne room, when he stood out door he took a moment to right himself and catch his breath before entering.

"You wanted to see me father?" he said bowing respectfully.

"Prince Zuko, your birthday has past so I'm sure you know your soulmates name by now, I want you to start the search for the girl and bring her back to the homeland." He said calmly.

Zuko flinched and tried to keep and steady voice.

"Father I wouldn't even know where to start, I don't know what nationality she is or if she is even of age yet, and there could be hundreds of girls with her name without their soulmates name yet it could years to find her just searching the earth kingdom alone let alone the fire nation and the water tribes, what if she isn't a firebender?" he said closing his eyes and steeling himself for his father's response.

"It doesn't matter either way you need a bride, we need heirs to the kingdom and with how you been acting, I know it isn't Mai. You will have all the funding you need. Ships, troops, and of course ways to travel on land if you wish. Just bring her here as soon as possible." He said in tone that said the discussion was over.

Zuko sighed and bowed his head before leaving the throne room only to find Azula on the other side of the door listening in.

"Hear what you wanted to? or were you hoping he was banishing me again?" He snapped when he met her eyes.

"Actually I came to offer my help if you wanted it. If you were to give me the name of your soulmate you could search one half of the world and I could search the other half and the search would go much faster. I already sent out a note to all the towns of the fire nation that if a girl there had your name for her to come to the palace and present herself to you and if her name matched the one on you then it's done, if it doesn't you can mark the fire nation off your search and go from there." She said smartly.

He had to admit that was a good idea, if he didn't already know exactly who his soulmate was he would have agreed with Azula and excepted her help in scouring the globe for his future wife. However, he knew that Azula knew Katara and if he told her that it was Katara she would try to find her just to kill the avatar and not care who else died in the cross fire.

"I appreciate the offer to help me search but I think when I leave to search the surrounding countries I will go alone." He said in a quiet tone.

"Why are you so sure she isn't from the fire nation?" Azula asked quizzically.

"The name doesn't sound fire nation ok? It sounds more like something from the coast or river towns of the earth kingdom or the water tribes." He said walking past her and down the hall leaving her confused but nonetheless determined to find this mystery girl if only for her to have one more person in the palace to harass.

 **With Katara**

Katara waded into the water with Aang. She was in her white under garments but kept her arm wrappings on and secured. Aang had been quiet ever since her birthday and he learned he wasn't her soulmate. Almost as if he blamed himself for it and not the fact that it was fate and not something he did and he couldn't have done anything to change that fact she was destined to be with someone else. It had been irritating though because Sokka and Toph began bugging her about what the name was and if they knew him. She would dismiss them every time saying it was her business and if she didn't want to share she didn't have to, but Sokka was getting desperate and trying to find a moment when her arm was exposed. She had to be more careful and more than once had to freeze Sokka to a tree over night or he would try to peek while she was asleep. It was getting ridiculous.

"Katara are you okay? You look a little distracted today should we train later?" Aang asked looking at her as if trying to figure out what she was thinking about.

"Sorry Aang I'm just a little tired I'm fine let's start." She said plastering on a fake smile and getting into her bending stance.

After his training she went into her tent to change and relax, they were only a few weeks away from the day of black sun and they were all feeling the pressure weighing down on them but her main concern was if she ran into Zuko on the battle field. What would she do? What would he do? And what would happen to them if it was revealed they were soulmates, she could only imagine how hurt Aang would be and how pissed Sokka would be about the whole thing and that she kept it from him. Toph would probably think it was funny and laugh at the irony of it all. She stayed in her tent the rest of the day and well into the night skipping dinner as well and just lay there with her thoughts. When she couldn't take it anymore she went outside to were Sokka's hawk sat with its head curled in while it slept she sat on the ground next to it and began to write a letter to the one person she never thought she would be writing to.

 _Zuko,_

 _I know this is weird and if its half as hard for you as it is for me than we are on equal footing, we have to meet, I don't know what to do or how much longer I can keep this from the gang, they are getting nosey and I'm at a loss as to what to do. We may not like each other much but with the situation as it is we will have to learn; I don't trust you after what you did to me the last time we met but if you care even a little about our futures you will agree to meet with me so we can try to figure this out._

 _-SM-K_

She sighed and rolled up the note before putting in the hawk's carrier, telling him where to go and sending him off. She sighed and went back to bed hoping she didn't just make a huge mistake.

It was almost a week and half later when she got the response and was slightly nervous at what the note said.

 _Meet me at whale tale island on the night of the full moon. Come alone._

 _-SM-Z_

 _ **A.N okay so theres the new chapter I know you probably hate us right now but, we work in mysterious ways just bear with us but hey bright side I finally got the new chapter up, YAAAAAAY! And way you know the drill R &R goddbye my lovelies until next time! XD**_


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